Disease fear

[Mike733]

Hello,

I have both OCD and depression. Recently, I encountered a new type of fear. I always loved birdwatching and just decided to set up my own birdfeeders. Overnight, somebody (probably a raccoon) got to that feeder, knocked it on the ground, and ate everything inside. While picking it up and washing, i started thinking that perhaps, i could have gotten rabies from some remaining raccoon's saliva on the feeder. I checked my hands and, no, there were no cuts or breaks in the skin.  Nevertheless, my anxiety often gets the better of me although I realize that this is quite irrational.  What should I do to help myself?

Mike

[specialmom]

Hi.  Well, we do all have worries and fears.  I can picture a worst case, what if scenario after something myself.  What makes it a disorder is when it interferes with life.  If you then can't put the thoughts out of your head, you begin to not do your daily activities out of worry, your anxiety manifests itself in other ways that affect you---  this is when it is problematic and you should seek the help of a doctor.  Generalized anxiety disorder is not uncommon at all.  Being treated for it if your life is interrupted on a regular basis and impacted enough that you are wanting to stop it---  (realizing that even brief bouts of anxiety over something that is irrational is unpleasant but if it is just a blip on the radar of your day, learning to cope is fine verses treatment with a doctor if you get what I am saying---  YOU have to judge where you are at with this)--  anyway, being treated for anxiety is really helpful for curtailing that noisy anxious brain from ruining your day!  You can talk to your doctor about it and they have tools to assess you ---  usually a questionnaire that is made to detect clinical anxiety.  They can diagnose you from that.  But we do all have anxiety and learning coping mechanisms can help.  Once it is clinical anxiety, best to see a therapist and work with your doctor.  good luck